Brothers and Sisters
by LivingForTv
Summary: The Winchesters and Bobby come across another special child whose sister is fighting her own battle to keep her on the straight and narrow. Can the hunters help any of them?
1. If this world is wearing thin

**Author's Note: **Or possibly warning. This story is built around the song "Stay" by Shakespeare's Sisters. If you haven't heard it yet you can find it on youtube. I love lyrics and always listen to them. This one lent itself beautifully to a Winchester story. Now, this is actually the first fanfic I wrote and it happend during a weekend in a writer's frenzy I hadn't seen since high school. Two days and 20 pages later I sat dazed in front of the computer and wondered what happened.

I then asked a few friends if they wanted to read it, telling them it was probably awful since it was a first attempt. But they encouraged me and, well, that's how I wound up here. However, since it was the first one I felt a bit self-conscious and it's not until now I am putting it out there, at everyone's mercy. I have tried to iron out a few wrinkles and cut a little and added a little.... but....

I hope I can deal with criticism, so feel free to give me a few pointers if you think it's anything I can improve on.

**Disclaimer: **Supernatural is my obsession but not my possession.

**Spoilers: **It's set in season four so everything up until then is fair game.

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**If this world is wearing thin…**

Dean, Sam and Bobby were leaning over the map laid out on Bobby's kitchen table. They had carefully drawn all the signs in and were now studying it intently. There was some definite activity there though where wasn't these days? What was particularly worrying about this specific pattern was the area in the middle. Dean sighed and admitted:

"I'm sorry. I can't get it to a coincidence however I choose to look at this. They ARE looking for the grave of Samuel Colt. They are steadily closing in on that area. This area."

Sam and Bobby, having arrived at the same conclusion and feeling just as frustrated, straightened their backs and nodded slowly, simultaneously. Bobby sat down at the table and mutely handed Sam his empty coffee cup.

"Neither can I. But at least we know they haven't found it just yet. There is still time to foil their plans and maybe find that grave ourselves. Preferably before we are looking at freshly turned soil. This is practically in my back yard you know and I don't want anyone digging here but me. You boys sure John never mentioned any specific location?"

Sam poured coffee into Bobby's cup and, after a questioning glance at Dean, filled his as well. Dean frowned and stretched out his hand, automatically, for his father's worn journal.

"Fairly sure", he said while absentmindedly weighing the journal in his hands. "After all, he didn't know anything about hunting before mum died. At least he never mentions knowing, so it's probably a fair bet she never told him anything about that particular family secret. And it's on mum's side we are related to Samuel Colt. Well, according to Missouri."

It had been an exciting séance where Missouri had got hold of their grandfather. He had had a hard time passing through, his words had been distorted, and afterwards Missouri had been completely exhausted. Their grandfather had wanted to come through to help them with the knowledge he had inherited and strengthen their resolve by offering them strong roots. His own hunting had always been made easier with the knowledge of whom his ancestors were, in particular a Samuel Colt. Not to mention that his confidence had always been bolstered when he remembered what said ancestor had triumphed over.

There had been gaps in the information Missouri had managed to "hear", but the pride he had felt for his grandchildren had been unmistakable and that was worth a lot. Both boys hid those words of praise and love as glowing gems of joy within themselves. They had a famous ancestor and a grandfather who fought evil all his life and whose love for them went beyond the grave. It was knowledge that could take you through your darkest hour.

But Missouri had taken a beating doing the summoning and when they had been anxiously hovering around her, making sure she recovered, she had explained why. Their grandfather, Missouri and her spiritual guardians had fought against dark forces who had tried to either eavesdrop on the conversation or, if that proved impossible, disrupt and distort it. It had been a tough, but necessary, fight and she couldn't tell how much the dark side had succeeded in hearing. She had given them a rough location for "his grave, where a serious weapon resided". A serious weapon for serious times. Times like these.

"Yeah", Sam said and handed out coffee cups. "I don't think dad would have gone looking for the legendary Colt out in the world if he had known where that grave was. He would have checked there first. And if he had, and if there hadn't been anything to protect, he would have shown the place to us. He always wanted us to feel close to mum."

Thoughtful, intense silence reigned among the three hunters for almost five minutes. Two of them were wishing it was early night, as opposed to early dawn, so they could have mixed the coffee with a bit of whiskey and one of them thought longingly of a cup of hot chocolate. None of them would get their wish yet though so they all put it at the back of their minds. After a while Bobby spoke again.

"Guess we had better split our forces here. Someone should work on a way to locate the grave and someone should try to get a better look at these demons. We don't know how many they are, nor how strong. All we know is that there are several and they seem to be moving in a slowly narrowing circle. Homing in on where we think the grave is."

"And the one who gets to do all the work here in the warmth, with a bathroom within easy reach, will probably be you, old man. Am I right?" Dean asked and quickly, smiling, moved out of reach as Bobby's strong, hard fist shot out to grab his shirt.

Sam also quickly moved out of reach since he suspected that Bobby would lunge for him next. But Bobby restrained himself, mostly to avoid the embarrassment of losing the fight, and took care not to smile too widely. He loved the boys but real men don't tell each other things like that. They smack each other on the head instead. He went for another angle.

"Yes of course", he grumbled, "we can't have the brains of this outfit being dulled on a stakeout when there is so much information to process. Now, the two of you, you are the dumb muscle here so you can drive around and look for our demons. Should suit you fine."

Under pretended exasperation and light banter the Winchesters made preparations to leave.

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_Still with me?_


	2. And you're thinking of escape

**And you're thinking of escape…**

Jennie took a deep breath before entering the motel room. Even though she stood outside the motel room she could feel Mary's presence in there, and that she was not alone, and she needed all her strength to face her. She tried the door handle, pretending to check if the door was open, and walked in with a smile and a bounce to the step that was purely fake. It had become so practised this last year she knew her big sister wouldn't notice it as fake. After all, it was the kind of happy person she had always been.

She couldn't get over that now she was faking her old self. Could people do that? And if they were, then what person was doing the faking? Who was she, really? She felt the ground shaking beneath her, threatening to make a hole in reality where she might be sucked down if she wasn't careful. She resolutely turned the thoughts aside and set to dealing with the difficult presence.

As she had expected Mary was sitting on the bed, talking to "Denver". As if that was his name. He hadn't even bothered trying to sound sincere when they had been "introduced". They both turned to look at her when she came in but neither acknowledged her presence in words. Well, she had only been gone for an hour, taking a "brisk walk in the park in the beautiful weather". Or that was what she had said. The couple was deep in conversation. A conversation that would probably lead to them, well… Jennie sighed inwardly and began unpacking her shower kit. Maybe a shower wouldn't make her feel so dirty. And it was what you were supposed to do after you had been taking a brisk walk. Normality, that was the thing. Act as if everything was normal. Right.

While standing in the shower Jennie thought back on the day when she had realised there was something seriously amiss with her big sister. She had come home from work. It had been a Saturday, which was the day of the week when she worked full time in the mall's photo store. It had been a busy, fun day with lots of friendly people who had told her amazing stories about their photos. Jennie always loved the talkative customers, it made the hours exciting and filled with laughter. The other days of the week she only worked three hours in the store because she was also studying English literature and History at the university. She intended to become a librarian one day but was in no rush.

A career wasn't necessary, she only wanted to get by. All she wanted from life was a small house with a little garden for herbs and some flower bushes, a work that would allow her ample time and opportunity for reading and photographing, and maybe one day she would be inspired to write a book. And perhaps, somewhere in between, find a guy and get children…

Well, she couldn't deny that she loved to study and so she took one course after another while living with, and paying a small rent to, her maternal aunt. Both sisters had lived with her since they were two and four, when the accident had claimed both their parents. Jennie only had one memory of her parents and she never spoke of it for fear that the feeling in it would get lost in words. Or worse, that someone would tell her that it was false and never happened, that she had only made it up. Mary remembered more and had, ever since she was big enough to understand that her baby sister didn't have memories, given her her own…

But that was before she had begun sliding into the dark. That Saturday, she had been so happy, so unprepared… Jennie vigorously massaged shampoo in her hair, afraid that if she slowed down her pace in anything the… people… her sister was hanging out with would notice. And then maybe they'd look at her like THAT again. With black eyes. Literally. She shuddered and started rinsing her hair almost before the shampoo had begun its work. Don't slow down, keep up the pace, that was the trick. But her mind kept creeping back to the day that started this never-ending road trip. And she wished for the millionth time that she could call her friends, or their aunt, and talk it over. But there would be no relief in dragging another person into this mess, so she was alone.


	3. I'll go anywhere with you

**I'll go anywhere with you…**

The Impala cruised lazily down the road, Dean behind the wheel, Sam reading a map and rock over the loudspeakers. The pattern for the whole area was clear so they knew basically where to look for the demons. Now they had to break it down in smaller chunks to find a specific town where they might be if they were in human hosts.

Of course they could operate without human hosts, especially if all they were doing was spying behind enemy lines, but they had yet to find a demon that wouldn't give in to the temptation of playing hell with a mortal body. Sam pondered the map for a while and then said:

"Remember the last sign? We weren't certain it was one because the local paper hardly covered it. What if they are actively trying to keep them out of the paper? Covering their tracks?"

"You mean we should check it out anyway? Well, it was only yesterday and that's as good a direction as any other. Kile was it?"

"Yes. It's a bit of a leap, I know, but since it's the most recent…"

"Kile it is."

Dean turned up the music and settled into driving and Sam continued to ponder the map. Dean knew that, consciously or not, his brother was in the process of learning the map by heart. They had been in this area a lot over the years and would probably be here more in the future since Bobby lived here. But they hadn't really bothered with anything here since Bobby had taken care of everything local, so the area still held a lot of surprises.


	4. Just wrap me up in chains

**Just wrap me up in chains…**

It was night, finally, and Jennie lay listening to the silence of her own room and the sounds from the room next door. Mary and "Denver", she could never think of him without slotting citation marks around his name, were there behind the wall. She yearned for her big sister. She wanted so badly for her to come in and tell her that she was done with him and that they were going home.

But it wasn't just a romance, she knew. It probably never had been. They had a common goal, trying to find something. She thought it had been bad enough when they had only been dating, but then he had wanted her to come on a road trip. And she had been invited. By him. But Mary had readily agreed, whatever Denver thought good she did too.

Besides, they had never really been apart and, though their aunt was all kindness and they loved her she had never taken on the role as a parent. They had always only really relied on each other. So why he had asked Mary to bring along her sister was a mystery. After all, she always tried coaxing the woman she remembered out from her hiding place. The woman that would never have dated this guy. The woman who had never laughed at other people's misfortune. She didn't know for sure why he had asked her to come too, but she had a terrible suspicion...

Jennie suppressed the thought and folded her hands for her usual prayer. First the Lord's prayer. It was quickly done. Then she continued with thanking the angels for small comforts and joys of the day; the nice weather, an unexpected memory popping up… she remembered when that list had been much longer.

And then she clasped her fingers more tightly and went down to business by asking for prayers to be granted. When she finally whispered "Amen" into the dark room she felt better. Reassured. She had always had a definite feeling that all her prayers were heard even if they weren't all answered, and just telling someone about her troubles always made them more bearable. A couple of minutes later Mary sneaked in and went straight to bed. Jennie sent a silent "thank you" to forces above for granting one of her prayers, then she could go to sleep.


	5. But if you try to go alone

**But if you try to go alone…**

Dean thought about their ancestry while cruising down the road, humming along to the music he knew so well. Funny really, how close Samuel Colt had been the whole time. Of course, they hadn't known about him for most of that time and it was only after Missouri's "talk" with their grandfather that they had become really interested in the guy. But now they were really, really curious about him.

Who had he been? Since he had left a line of descendants he must have had a family. Had they known about his work? Had he feared for them when he left? What precautions had he taken to guarding them? Was it possible to have a family and do this?

Dean had considered questions like those when he had been in his teens, but never seriously. He had listened to his father's regrets so many times, seen his worry for him and his brother, understood that he had raised them harsher than he had wanted to, to make sure they would dive behind the couch the second he darn well told them to. So he had grown up with the understanding that though a family was important it was nothing he should go out and get, he would just protect those people he couldn't help being related to. And there hadn't been many women in the picture, not ones to let in on the secret life they lead. From time to time he wondered if his father's truth had to be his as well.


	6. Don't think I'll understand

**Don't think I'll understand…**

Jennie woke up first and immediately looked over at Mary's bed. Her big sister was still asleep and her face was turned towards her. It was times like these that Jenny's confidence swelled with renewed hope. When she was asleep her features were relaxed and soft, like they had always been, though lately even in her sleep she had looked troubled. But that was the thing, she looked troubled and not mean or insensitive, like she knew there was something wrong. She would get her sister back, she swore she would. All she had to do was to be there and make sure she showed her love every hour of every day. When she looked at her moments like these it didn't seem a lot to ask.

After a while Mary moved and opened her eyes, looking into her sisters', and automatically smiled. Jennie was already smiling and greeted her with a soft;

"Hey there, sleepyhead. You're beautiful when you sleep, you know that?"

"Hey there you. I can't say the same to you since I never get the chance of seeing you like that. You are always up before me and when I come to bed you are in a dark room. But I am sure my little sister could be nothing but beautiful."

Both girls smiled and chattered aimlessly. Mary because there was no one to stop her, because she was used to keeping her little sister occupied in the mornings. Jennie, though outwardly girlishly, playing the little sister with all her might, talked in desperation because she wanted to keep her big sister in the normal world as long as she could. They were interrupted in less than five minutes by a knock on the door and Hannah's voice:

"Decent in there, girls? Hop on up and there's waffles to b had. Denver is buying."

And that was the end of their alone time because Mary immediately jumped up and put on her clothes, looking distant and cold again. Jennie didn't let her disappointment show but mimicked her sister and rapidly put on clothes. The less time her sister spent alone with these people the better.


	7. Stay with me

**Stay with me... **

The Winchesters had arrived in Kile and decided to have another breakfast. There was a motel called _The Ladybug_ of all things and that was where they intended to start looking. As soon as they had eaten something. They walked into a small diner and ordered scrambled eggs and ham, intending to get strawberry pie as dessert. For some reason Dean thought of his mother when he ordered. It felt as though she was standing next to him, asking him if he really thought breakfast warranted dessert. It felt so real he hesitated about his order but rapidly shook off the feeling and stubbornly ordered their pie. A little while into their breakfast Sam suddenly said, with such studied casualness that Dean knew the question was very serious indeed:

"What do you think mum would say if she saw us eat dessert for breakfast?"

And since he had thought he had felt her disapprove of it just before he ordered his pie he promptly started choking on a piece. When the attack was over he decided not to tell him that he had thought the same, that was too weird, so instead he answered, a bit too loudly:

"Why not? As long as we are eating. And I am sure she bent a few rules herself, Sammy. And it's not as if there is a freaking rule anyway…And we are old enough to decide ourselves, without interference."

Sam looked slightly surprised at his brother's loud voice and strong opinion on the matter but shrugged if off and said:

"I was just wondering. Somehow it has felt as though she has been around since Missouri, you know, talked to grandpa.

"Been around HOW?" Dean asked suspiciously but Sam wouldn't say anything else and was saved the trouble of avoiding further questioning by turning his attention to several young men and women who entered the diner.

Maybe the Winchesters wouldn't have paid the group much attention at any other time, but now they were both looking for ways to avoid the topic at hand. That's why Sam noticed the presence of a demon and Dean saw a pair of eyes change colour. None of them said anything out loud, they only exchanged a glance that told each other everything they needed to know. Business was at hand and it was time to focus.


	8. Stay

**Stay with me…**

When the sisters left the motel room the others were standing around waiting, Jennie wondered if they ever slept, and they left together for the diner they had visited yesterday. Their group held two guys, Denver and Pete, and two other women, Charlotte and Hannah, all in their 20s to 30s, so in theory they should have made quite a noisy little group. But the others didn't seem to talk to each other unless there was something they needed to decide on together. Then they would state their opinions on the matter, or rather the reasons why they should choose a certain path. And they never, ever argued about anything, they always agreed. Those were only some of the things that made Jennie's alarm bells ring and she couldn't understand why her sister didn't see it.

The others took it in turns to talk to Mary and be friendly, but they didn't talk to each other. Neither did they talk to her but that could be because they sensed her withdrawal from them. Still, the normal behaviour would have been to try and drag her out of her shell. But there wasn't anything normal about them. She walked just behind her sister, not wanting to take her eyes off her for a second.

When they walked into the diner she noticed two good looking guys over by the corner, eating pie, and couldn't help but smile. It was early for pie. Then she noticed the blonde woman standing next to them. She was smiling too, so tenderly that it nearly brought tears to Jennie's eyes, her complete focus on the two young men. Strangely though they didn't seem to take any notice of her. As if the woman felt Jennie's eyes upon her she raised her head and looked straight at Jennie and nodded. A friendly greeting, comforting in some way and curiously knowing. Jennie smiled again and nodded back and then took her seat. When she looked back the woman had left.


	9. In the silence of your room

**In the silence of your room…**

The group placed their orders and Dean and Sam took it in turns to keep an eye on them, trying to figure out their strength and a good battle plan. Both Winchesters noticed that the demons couldn't carry a normal conversation. The only person who seemed able to do that was the one they called Mary. She spoke to all the others at intervals and they decided that she was probably the leader, there to make sure they kept up a good show of being human.

The only person who looked over at them was one of the other girls. She looked mostly distant and thoughtful, maybe in a way that meant she was using other powers to search the room for enemies. Except when the leader spoke. Then she focused on her and her body language came alive. They managed to meet her eyes twice but didn't see any change of colour or evidence that she had pegged them as the enemy. But she had a quiet sort of penetrative focus to her glance that made them uneasy. She spoke even less than the others, even her body language seemed hushed, but she smiled a lot. A predator showing its teeth.

The brothers paid their bill, making as little fuss as possible, and left the diner, and the eerie silence, setting themselves up for surveillance from the Impala headquarters. As it turned out it wasn't very difficult to keep track of the group at first. Mary and one of the guys retired to their motel room. The silent girl took out a book and stayed outside the motel, on a bench, and the other three people seated themselves close to her, on the grass, and talked quietly with each other every now and then. But most of the time it looked as if they were meditating. It was by far the eeriest group they had ever come across.

After a couple of hours they all went back to the diner and had dinner and then they abruptly disappeared in different directions. And though Dean and Sam quickly decided on whom to follow, yerning for something else to do than sit in the car, their prey seemed to have gone up in smoke. There was nothing for it but wait until they came back. Sam voiced both their complaints:

"Where did they GO! We were just behind them. Surely they can't teleport with mortal bodies? Are we getting sloppy or are they really good?"

Dean had been about to complain too but since Sam beat him to it he had to take the patient role.

"Quit whining little brother, we are NOT getting sloppy, at least I know I am not. They are just better orientated here than we are. Probably come with a frigging map downloaded in their "brains". Like in _Matrix_."

"Dude, you are not going to make me feel better by telling me we are up against Neo and Trinity here."

They looked at each other and grinned, their body language simultaneously saying "WE are the guys who kick ass. A little whining, a little banter and, the frustration vented, they sat down more comfortably and watched the silent girl who had quit reading and was simply staring out in space. Their waiting was over when dusk set in.


	10. In the darkness of your dreams

**In the darkness of your dreams…**

Bobby called just after the group had reunited and told them that he had a good lead on where the grave might be:

"It's in an old cemetery so it's hallowed ground, but that hasn't stopped most of them yet. However, knowing a bit about Samuel Colt I wouldn't be surprised if this particular cemetery has some additional security. Especially if he intended to be buried together with a dangerous weapon."

Sam nodded, remembered that Bobby couldn't see it over the cell phone and said:

"I agree. Problem right now is we don't know if the demons have the location too. We lost track of a few for a couple of hours so we haven't seen if they have found more information. Soo…"

Dean had listened intently to the conversation and leaned in closer to Sam's phone and stated:

"So we have to stay with these demons until we know for sure. We'd never forgive ourselves if we went off looking for the grave and the demons found it before us."

That closed the conversation and the brothers sat back to keep up the watch, but it wouldn't be long. Even from the rather far distance where they had parked the car it was obvious that the group seemed excited. They were looking at a map and suddenly seemed much more human in their body language. They had found something. Dean cursed about deadlines, ranting a bit about how just for once it would be nice to be two steps ahead of the foul creatures instead of in a tight race. Sam didn't curse out loud but heartily agreed with the sentiment.

The brothers looked over their arsenal and when the group went to their two cars they were ready to follow, both silently wishing their father or grandfather could have joined the hunt. Neither brother thought of wishing their mother to be on the battle field, but having been raised by men it was to be expected that they would leave her out.

The others were whispering intently with Mary and Jennie felt excitement in the air. The excitement also brought out the strangeness in the others more strongly. It was this strangeness that was the chief source of her worry about the company they kept. What was going on? She edged up to her sister and decided to risk a natural, direct question:

"What's going on? What are you all so excited about?"

Then she held her breath as they all turned to her at the same time, smiling. Well, showing their teeth at any rate.

"We have just found an interesting spot on the map. Says it's an old cemetery. Wouldn't it be cool to go ghost hunting?" Denver asked.

Jennie took an involuntary step backwards as Denver's eyes seemed to flash black for a moment. But at the same time she noticed a slight shift in Hannah's stance and immediately stopped and buried her own fear beneath worry for Mary. Hannah hadn't taken a step towards her, she had stepped closer to Mary. Mary hadn't noticed and seemed a bit embarrassed as she said:

"Jennie isn't interested in ghosts. Never has been. I don't think she would like to come. Would you?"

Jennie looked hard at her sister for a moment, part of her deeply relieved that maybe she wouldn't have to spend time in the closed confines of a car with Denver or Hannah, but worried about what they were really going to do. What they would be able to persuade her sister to do if she wasn't there. And this was the first time she had heard Mary tell Denver a lie... Did that mean she could safely hang back or that she shouldn' let wild horses separate them at the moment? She didn't have time to decide what way to follow though because Hannah took her arm and led her, with uncanny strength, in the direction of their car, saying:

"I for one will be scared to death if you don't come. So come on and be my sceptic friend out there won't you?"

Jennie shook her arm loose and Hannah frowned, it seemed for an instance that she had intended to keep her grip and been forced to let go by something much stronger than Jennie. Then Jennie changed her mind and decided to come along. She had to. Unfortunately she then had to step into the car with Pete and Hannah as Mary had already turned her back on her and was getting into the car with Denver and Charlotte. She steeled herself and went into the car with the others, trying to think sunny thoughts despite her misgivings in the gathering darkness.


	11. You must only think of me

**You must only think of me…**

The two cars left the motel parking and the brothers slowly followed them. Darkness was falling and the headlights showed up very well in the rearview mirrors of the cars they were following. But since they knew where the demons were headed Sam directed a change of route after a few miles. It was a slightly longer, bumpier road but at least the demons wouldn't know for certain that they were being followed. After a little while Dean, something obviously preying on his mind, asked:

"Are we calling Bobby in on this or not? It feels as though this is mostly our problem."

"I don't think we are, Sam replied slowly. I know he expects us to but… what if he got hurt or died? He isn't a young man anymore."

Reflective silence followed the exchange. Then Dean grinned and said:

"And if we said that to his face we'd be in BIG trouble. Maybe the man is getting on in years but he is certainly getting more cunning as well."

The brothers grinned at the thought of telling Bobby that they thought he was too old to go demon hunting with them. But in the end they decided that they would put him in harm's way when they couldn't help it and not a minute sooner. After all, they were going after something closely linked to their own blood and if blood was to be spilled they preferred it to be theirs. Or rather the enemies'. Bobby would have to wait this one out on the sideline. Dean stepped on the gas a little more. After some time Sam asked:

"So, what's the plan?"

"Besides killing everything in sight and making sure they don't get whatever is in that grave?

"Yes, Dean, besides that", Sam said patiently.

"Well, I suppose we'll have to see what measures grand-grand has taken. But if he thinks like we do I bet there'll be a surprise. And we just have to hope that whatever it is it doesn't harm humans."

A couple of minutes of busy silence followed as they both formulated a game plan each. This was something they had recently begun doing. Before it had always been their father who had decided how they would take something on but after they had started hunting themselves they both felt equally responsible. When both were done they started talking and usually they wove their respective ideas together as a whole, the resulting idea stronger and better than any one of them. It also gave them valuable insights in what improvised actions each brother would fall back to if their original idea didn't work out. This was their way of using their differences to their advantege. When they found the turn that lead them onto the gravel road they had formulated a good plan. Well, it was a plan anyway.

They parked in a deep depression to be out of sight, no other cars within view yet. It was to be expected with Dean beind the wheel. Then they put in one last phone call to Bobby and told him what they were about to do, listened to him scolding them for not having called earlier, accepted his advice on improving their plan and hung up. Sam looked thoughtfully out the window and said:

"Bobby was worried. Do you think he is right? Are we the risks we are taking too great?"

"Of course not, we have a plan. Don't worry Sammy, your big brother is here to take care of you."

Sam rolled his eyes and bit back the answer and they went out to investigate the area.

Soon after their arrival two other cars drove up the gravel road but they didn't head for the depression to hide. They weren't expecting anyone else to be here. Dean and Sam lay waiting near a mound on which a large, chipped stone precariously leaned. It was an old hunter's trick, if there was something close to you that was likely to draw attention it would probably be a good hiding place as people's eyes would be constantly drawn to that feature. Now they only hoped it would throw off demons as well because, even if they hadn't known it, it was obvious that the people arriving at the scene weren't human. If they had been there would have been more glancing around, more drawing together as a group. Instead they immediately spread out in the dark, silent, searching, looking worringly intent…


	12. There can be no in between

**There can be no in between…**

The brothers didn't know where the grave was, they hadn't had time to find it, so they paid close attention to the movements of the demons. The only one not to go out onto the cemetery was the silent girl, she stood still next to the car. Sam nodded towards her and whispered, almost inaudibly:

"I think she is sending her mind out, searching for enemies."

Dean didn't have Sam's extra senses but he nodded, agreeing that she was doing something like it. He recognised her body language as that of a soldier on guard, intent on discovering the enemies before they were upon her. They wished they'd had time to take her out of the action but demons never die quietly, and they had to wait for the trap to spring. Of course, there might not be one but… they played to the odds. And they weren't disappointed because suddenly one of the men called on the others and they hurried forward and started digging. The next part was a bit unclear from where they were crouching, but a horrible scream echoed around the cemetery and the first guy went up in smoke. Yep, Samuel Colt had had a trap waiting alright. Then chaos reigned.

Sam pushed the button on the large cd-player next to him, letting the Latin ritual for banishing evil roll out across the cemetery, and then flung himself forward, willing his legs to go ever faster. Intent on catching the others off guard, while they were still in shock. Before they could collect themselves and deal with them. Of course the incantation would do a lot to confuse them and lessen their powers, but since they weren't confined it wouldn't banish them, not unless they stayed still.

Both brothers sprayed holy water everywhere as they ran forward, looking out for anyone that seemed about to recover from their fit of religion. Dean grabbed the dirty box they had dug up, narrowly avoiding one of the women who made a mad lunge at him, intending to rip his heart out of his chest if what her eyes said was close to the truth. Sam covered their retreat by spraying holy water on everything that moved in their direction and kicked the legs out from under the surviving guy when he tried to strangle him.

Dean was hampered by the box and made straight for the depression and the waiting car when the woman by the car suddenly materialized in front of him. Without hesitation he swung the box at her jaw and felt it connect. She hadn't time to protect herself from his momentum and consequently went down. She had been watching the totally unexpected turn of events in complete shock. He stopped for a second when she went down and, still hampered by the important box, made a hasty addition to the plan. He yelled:

"Hey Sam, forget the water and bring this one to the car, we have more ammo there."

Sam, with immediate understanding, threw the almost empty container aside and stooped to pick up the woman. It was easy as he was high on adrenaline. A few seconds later he threw her in the backseat with his brother and jumped in behind the wheel. The whole operation hadn't taken more than a minute and the Impala exploded down the road in a cloud of dust, Sam driving as though the devil himself was after them. Well, that wasn't too far from the truth, after all.


	13. When your pride is on the floor

**When your pride is on the floor…**

Dean made the most of their captive's short loss of consciousness, fastening her hands behind her back with the silver handcuffs, not that silver would do any difference to a demon but it was simply the only kind they carried, and tying her ankles together. She was starting to come round when he looped a noose around her neck that he tied to the seat adjustment lever for the front passenger seat. Then he took out the duct tape and gagged her and then quickly drew a devil's trap on the piece covering her mouth. You couldn't take too many precautions with demons. Sam looked back at what he did and asked:

"Think that will work?"

"Can't hurt to try", he said, deeply concentrated on the task at hand. And even if it doesn't all that can happen is that it leaves the body on its own and that's fine by me. But step on it anyway, I'd rather we had time to question it before we banish it and Bobby's place is best for that."

Dean considered his statement about what was the "worst thing" that could happen and decided that the worst thing was probably that she broke free and then flayed the skin off their bodies. Or ripped out their kidneys through their noses. But he decided not to share this with Sam.

Jennie felt disorientated and nauseous when she regained consciousness. For some reason her heart was pumping like mad too. And matters weren't improved when she realised where she was. The very first thing she saw when she opened her eyes were two merciless, fierce points of green, willing her to try to defy them. She went rigid with fear and nearly passed out again. Who was this? Didn't she know him? Yes she did, he had been in the diner, he had looked at her when he didn't think she saw it. She hadn't felt threatened by him in there despite the intensity she had felt in his gaze. But now the whole man seemed intent on violence. She struggled desperately against the handcuffs and the weight of his body but stiffened as he spoke, his voice filled with menace:

"Don't you even try to get loose or I will pour this over you, making your skin vaporise. Have you felt that before? Judging by the way they always scream I think it's horribly painful. Like acid. So will you lie still or should we try it?"

Jennie had heard about people who had got acid thrown in the face, she remembered seeing a photo in a newspaper of a woman whose features had melted and decided on the spot that she would co-operate until she had a better chance at escaping. She shook her head, careful of not raising it as she felt the rope tightening with every movement, her large, blue eyes appealing for mercy. But there didn't seem to be any to have.

When she regained control of her body her first action was to shut her eyes, anything was better than to stare down the slopes of hell. She knew that he held the open bottle of liquid over her body the whole trip because every now and then she risked a glance, fearful that he would tip the contents on her face. And that was a terrible, ongoing source of horror, especially in every curve. The pain in her arms also grew steadily worse. There was someone driving the car and she had a feeling it would be the other guy from the diner. He made a phone call to someone, telling him to get ready for "an exorcism". That didn't sound good. Holy mother of Christ, who were these people?


	14. I'll make you beg for more

**I'll make you beg for more… **

Dean knew that the demon couldn't be trusted, of course, but it was human nature to try and get a deal out of another person, hoping it would stick to it. That was why he had talked to it, telling it what would happen if it didn't stay put, not because he thought it would stick around if his attention wavered. The lines on the woman's face sure looked scared though and the demon hadn't tried to escape through the devil's trap yet. Perhaps it would be possible to bring it in.

The first miles he kept his eyes locked on hers, wanting to stare that blackness down, showing them that he knew all there was to know and still could face them, but she had shut her eyes almost immediately. He and Sam had a brief conversation with each other and with Bobby, then they both concentrated on getting there in one piece. Sam by paying attention to the driving and Dean by making sure the demon didn't try to escape.

After a while Dean noticed that the lines of fear in the woman's face had turned to pain and that she was breathing in a way that spoke of her trying to control that pain. At first he hesitated about what to do. Could the host body be taking these steps itself, in trying to preserve life? Or was it a clever ruse from the demon's side, making it look as human as possible? He decided that he couldn't take the risk of watching the woman die in front of him, just because she was controlled by a demon at the moment. If she still lived he would do his best to free her.

He slowly eased the pressure on the torso, allowing her to shift position of her arms. Then he lifted the noose just a little, careful not to let the hand holding the holy water bottle stray far from her face. She didn't open her eyes but her body relaxed infinitesimally and her breathing came easier.

This was way too human, Dean didn't like that the demons were this good at imitating them. He suddenly felt like the bad guy, crippled with guilt and doubt, which probably was this particular demon's attempt at lowering his defences. Still, he stopped pushing and just kept guard. On her movements and his own feelings, keeping both from getting out of hand. You shouldn't feel like a serious bad guy because you had trapped a demon, for heaven's sake. And he fervently hoped that the demon had pushed the real woman far under, he wouldn't want her to remember an experience like this.

"Drive faster, Sam", he mumbled and felt the Impala shoot forward a bit in response.


	15. Staywith me

**Stay with me... **

Just when Jennie thought she couldn't take a single more minute of pain and fear, the car stopped. She opened her eyes a little but closed them again when the door opened and another face came too close to hers. Bobby looked at the woman, his gaze taking in the restraints and the drawing of the devil's trap on the duct tape. It was very well done and he wasn't surprised that it had held. He gave Dean a nod of acknowledgement and then they quickly carried her into the house and into the permanent devil's trap he had drawn in his living room. There they freed her and stepped out of the trap, waiting for the demon to start talking.

Sam came back from the kitchen with beer and leaned against the wall. Bobby examined the dirty box in his hands, wondering if he should open it straight away. Perhaps it would be prudent to wait just a little with that until he had had time to check it for curses or other traps. Dean accepted a beer from Sam and placed himself backwards over a chair, looking intently at the woman on the floor.

After a short while she obviously decided to "recover" and sit up, her movements cautious due to the surroundings and company. Her eyes travelled around the room, resting a bit on each of them and on various items in the living room. She shied away from her captor's eyes after a quick look, god did he look intense, but stayed a bit longer on the driver's and the older man's. The three hunters met eyes that spoke of fear but also noticed the stubborn chin. Bobby wondered if she was a very young demon, to have such a flexible range of emotions. She didn't look evil but, then again, demons usually didn't until they were ready to tear you limb from limb. Finally she took a deep, shaky breath and, deciding the authority rested with the older man, directed her words at him:

"Who are you? What do you want?"

"You know what we want. We want to know where the original Colt is and how you knew about this box. We also want to know more about Lillith and what her plans are."

Bobby looked her sternly in the eyes while giving her the list and was a bit concerned at seeing her surprise.

The woman seemed to think about his question and kept her penetrative gaze locked on his. Jennie considered her options. To tell them outright that she had no idea what they were talking about didn't seem as the right thing to do as far as avoiding bodily harm and staying alive was concerned. But, after a few seconds of furious thinking, she realised that that was the only thing she could do.

She sincerely hoped they had made a mistake when they took her. Far as she could recall it it had seemed as a spur-of-the-moment thing because it was she who had crossed his path and not the other way around. Then this misunderstanding might be cleared and she would be released. Or they were playing a game with her. She felt sick, but whatever the case she could only offer the truth. She took a quick breath and said, quietly:

"I don't know what you are talking about. And I don't know what's in that box either. We went out to that cemetery to look for ghosts and I don't know why they dug up a grave. I wasn't told anything else."

The shock of getting a splash of cold liquid in the face made her gasp, all her attention had been focoused on getting the older man to understand, and she scrambled to her feet, ready to fight. But if she had been surprised at being attacked with water it was nothing to the look of shock on the face of the two young men. Both went pale in a moment and the older man cursed profoundly.


	16. Stay withme

**Stay with me... **

Time seemed to stand still in the room and there were so many emotions coursing between the three men that she instinctively took several quick steps backwards until she was brought up short by a wall. They all looked at her like they had just seen a ghost and if she hadn't already been as scared as hell she would have freaked out simply by looking at them. She didn't know then that she had failed to react to holy water and then crossed the lines of a devil's trap and thus proven that she wasn't a demon.

They all started talking at once, getting up from their various positions and congregating in the doorway. Something was seriously wrong. She took the time to wipe her face from the liquid, horribly afraid that it would begin to corrode her skin any moment, but it seemed to be only water. Finally the older man called the meeting to order by shouting loudly:

"Silence! I don't understand it either but it isn't the first time the other side has used humans, remember? And there were… others… at the scene, we know that much. We just have to approach this from another angle, ok?

The younger men took deep breaths and continued to stare at her as if she scared them. Then her captor abruptly turned his back on her and leaned his forehead against the wall, taking deep breaths, while the driver steadied him with a hand on his shoulder. It was apparent that the show was, once again, being run by the older man so she stared hard at him, letting his actions decide if she should fight or flee. He cleared his throat and met her eyes, then picked his words and tone of voice carefully:

"Look, there has been a slight misunderstanding here. We need you to answer some questions. We won't hurt you, that's a promise. How about if you take that chair over there and sit down, and we'll sit down over here. And then we'll see if we can't work this out. Please?"

Jennie licked her lips and considered the offer. It wasn't as though she had any choice other than how she was going to go down. She could, and would, put up a fight if anyone tried to hurt her but it wasn't as if she would come out winning with one against three. She didn't have any reason to trust any of them, but there was something that felt wrong with all of it. All their actions, stares and words. Maybe they were enemies of her sister's friends. That would explain a lot, like how they were waiting for them at the cemetery and why they attacked. But did that mean they were enemies of her sister's as well? Because then they were hers. Finally, because no one was pushing her or making a move to come closer, she took the chair he had indicated and sat down.

"Who ARE you?

Bobby gave her their first names and then started explaining about how they had been looking for something that belonged to the younger men, the box that had been dug up. There were pauses when he edited certain pieces of information and pauses before she replied with equally edited information. But a wary trust on each side that they didn't need to be enemies was slowly building.

Though Bobby carried the conversation Sam jumped in every now and then. Dean didn't look at her much and seemed closed off. She could see guilt written all over him and the way Sam kept glancing at him, worried, told her that this guilt went deeper than she knew. Her compassionate instincts, a trait that had landed her in more messes than she could remember, told her she should confront him about it. But she was still too shaken by the memory of those merciless eyes to be able to offer forgiveness. And she needed to be sure it wouldn't happen again.

After a while they moved into the library and gathered around the table with coffee cups. Bobby now continued with explaining about their line of work, about how the supernatural and demons existed and Jennie nodded and added angels to the list. They were slightly surprised at how easily she followed the conversation. Then they told her about how you recognise demons and how you fight them and she grew really quiet. When Sam asked her directly she reluctantly admitted that some of the other people they had seen that evening were likely demons. But after that admittance she refused to say anything else, just kept her hands clenched around her cup, and the hunters continued talking. After a while Jennie curled up on the couch and promptly fell asleep. Dean looked at her and raised his eyebrows in a silent question, but Bobby shook his head and answered quietly:

"Don't look at me, I only put coffee in there."

"She is likely completely exhausted from this ordeal", Sam said. "And when you get new information that skews your perception of reality, I guess all you want to do is sleep and let your brain work through it."

"And I don't think she has been sleeping very well for a while either if she is hanging out with demons, whatever the reason", Bobby added. "A very trusting soul though, falling asleep here, considering how she was treated on the way over…"

He immediately regretted his words when he saw the flash of pain in Dean's face and the fury in Sam's, silently telling him to shut it because his brother was already beating himself up. Bobby shook Dean's shoulder, telling him it would be alright, and then they decided that they would go to bed as well. In the morning they would have to get Jennie to tell them what she was keeping secret. The brothers, regular guests of Bobby's, went and got their blankets and rolled out the mattresses in front of the fire place and Bobby fetched an extra blanket for Jennie who didn't turn a hair when he covered her up. He also left a pillow on the table, in case she woke up during the night. Then he left his three night guests alone.


	17. You'd better hope and pray

**You'd better hope and pray... **

Sometime in the middle of the night Jennie woke up and abruptly sat up straight. Where was she? What had happened? Where was Mary? After a few seconds she remembered and tried to decide how to feel about it and what to do about it. Was she a prisoner or a guest? She looked around for evidence of either and noticed the pillow on the table. The fire was reduced to glowing embers but it was enough to make out the sleeping forms of Dean and Sam. Brothers, as she'd learned. But they were sleeping and not keeping watch with a rifle over the lap, as she had half expected. Sometime soon she would have to have a serious talking to with her imagination, she told herself sternly.

Jennie had always prided herself on her ability to judge people, but that trait hinged on her being composed, in control. Able to take everything into account. There was some psychological diagnosis or something that made a hostage sympathise with the kidnappers, to counter the awful feeling of helplessness. She considered it. Had it happened to her? Was that why she felt inclined to trust these people?

Be that as it may, they were probably her best shot at saving Mary. If what they had told her about demons walking among them was true… The atmosphere in the room was peaceful and she slowly calmed down again, deciding to follow the assumption of the pillow, that she was a guest. She reached for it and tucked it under head. Maybe it was time to tell them about Mary. Perhaps they would understand. She decided to stay the night and see if they might become allies, because she'd need help. Mary would need help. She burrowed deeper beneath the blanket, falling asleep praying that she had made the right decision.

Dean had heard her wake up and jerk upright and it was all he could do to feign sleep when he heard her scared breathing. He had a dull aching inside him that he recognised all too well as guilt and he kept hearing the box smacking into her face and seeing her large, blue eyes stare at him in terror. It didn't help that he knew that he had had every reason to believe her to be a demon because she hadn't been. She had been a human, a woman, in fear of her life. There was a debt owed and he intended to pay it, some way, before he asked her for forgiveness.

He kept listening to her movements and fear flooded in on him when he realised she might decide to make a run for it. He fervently hoped that she would stay where she was so he didn't have to go up and persuade her to. Whatever she was mixed up in she needed help, and he really, really wished that she would ask them for it. For the life of him he didn't want to force her into anything. After a few minutes he realised that she slept soundly again, her breathing deep and relaxed, and felt only humble wonder at such childlike trust. Maybe he hadn't done any permanent damage. He hadn't intended to fall asleep but he did.


	18. That you make it safe

**That you make it safe... **

Bobby woke up at the crack of dawn and, remembering that he had a female guest, dressed before he went down to the kitchen. First he checked in the living room and counted his guests though, to see if they were still three. And since they were he quietly went about making coffee and setting up the toaster and preparing porridge. After a couple of minutes he felt the hair prickle at the back of his neck and turned around to see Jennie in the doorway. Her features were soft from sleep and her hair could do with a brush. It was also evident that she had slept in her clothes but she didn't seem to care herself. On her jaw was a large, striking bruise that he tried not to look at.

"Can I help?" She asked.

"Sure can." Bobby smiled and pointed to the bread that needed slicing.

"You'll trust me with a bread knife?" She asked, a touch of humour in her eyes.

Bobby turned to give her a long, calculating look, then he smiled and gave her the biggest, most vicious looking bread knife she had ever seen. It was certainly long and sharp enough to slice through a man's belly and she chuckled as she took it. After a while she said, casually:

"You know, I don't know if you deserve it, but I make excellent pancakes. You wouldn't have the ingredients would you?

"Please, haven't you seen my apron? I take cooking seriously and I am a fantastic chef. I have practically everything."

And that was why the brothers woke up to the smell of pancakes, Bobby telling jokes just short of saucy and a woman's delighted laughter. Sam turned to Dean and they exchanged a look of utter surprise before they both smiled. Sam leaned closer to Dean and whispered:

"Did YOU ever suspect that Bobby was such a hit with the ladies?"

They both chuckled and hastily got dressed to follow the rumbling of their bellies and the need for friendly connections in an uncertain world. When they entered the kitchen Jennie was waving around with a turner, threatening to throw a pancake at Bobby, who laughed and ducked. And when the brothers told the chefs that whatever smelt they'd eat it, Jennie gave them a big smile and told them to eat Bobby's BS because that was what SHE could smell.

Dean looked into the her eyes and even though she was sporting an enormous bruise, which he had left on her, he saw no trace of fear and perked up considerably. Enough to snatch a pancake from the pile next to her and deftly avoiding her vengeful turner, which instead slobbered down Sam. When they sat down to eat everything seemed right with the world.


	19. Back to your own world

**Back to your own world... **

After breakfast the group adjourned to the library again where Jennie proceeded, without hesitation, to tell them about the things she had kept quiet about yesterday and that only no small amount of convincing would have wrested from her unwillingly. The three hunters got to listen to a younger sister's account of what it was like to watch a beloved big sister's discovery and exploration of new psychic abilities. What it was like to watch her being able to bend people around her to her own will, and enjoying every minute of it, and of making them tell her their secrets and triumph at her success. And what it was like to struggle with fear and trying to be there for her, not allowing herself to be repulsed by what she could do, and what she would choose to do. Not forgetting who she really was and not letting her forget either.

Then meeting her boyfriend, a person she had felt nothing but fear and loathing for from the very first. Jennie couldn't meet their eyes while she described what her intuition had told her about the man, and about his friends. What she knew he sister had been doing with him, the people they had hurt in various ways, none of them physically. She told them she hadn't cried about it, that it was way too bad for giving in just yet.

But she looked them fiercely in the eye when she told them that her true sister was not a demon nor actually evil and that she could still be saved, had to be saved even if it would cost her her own life. That that was the reason she hadn't left her alone but willingly followed her.

After that passionate statement the hunters looked at each other and decided to tell her almost everything they knew about the other psychic children, the ones of Sam's "generation". Dean did the telling, carefully emphasising the hopeful news that the children didn't have to become evil, and when he was done she tried to absorb it without being sick. Then she smiled and nodded towards Sam and said:

"You could just as well have told me that there is hope because Sam is one of them and he hasn't turned to the dark side."

Taken aback they all stared at her; no mention of Sam had been made in any way during the telling. Finally Sam asked:

"How could you tell?"

"Come on, I am a younger sister. Don't you think I recognise a big sibling looking out for a younger one? A piece of advice if you ever have to tell that story again, Dean. Make sure your brother isn't in the room because your whole body language gave you away."

Dean admitted defeat and Bobby's eyes twinkled, he was happy to meet someone who could see right through Dean at last. The conversation then centred on how to save Mary and defeat the three surviving demons. Jennie told them all she knew about them and, through questions, she turned out to know more than she thought. The hunters knew all about different kinds of demons and thus knew what to ask. Soon they had a good plan worked out and the only thing left to do was to bait the trap.


	20. You had better hope and pray

**You'd better hope and pray...**

Dean took a deep breath and dialled the number Jennie had given him. As predicted a woman answered straight away and he looked at Jennie who listened to the voice and nodded, it was Mary. He watched her clench her fists and then used his best menacing voice and told Mary to come and hand herself and her abilities over, along with the "trash" she was hanging out with, or they'd kill her sister and come after her anyway. Being hunters of evil they felt that she was a threat.

He gave her directions to Bobby's. Mary listened intently and told them she'd come but that they'd better not be there when she arrived or they'd die when she did. They hung up

and Dean took another moment to collect himself, then he looked over at Jennie and asked:

"Are you sure she will come? She knows full well that it is a trap, I even told her."

"Would you come for Sam?" She asked.

Sam and Dean exchanged a look and Sam answered in his place:

"My brother would go to hell and back for me. No matter what I did."

Then both had to clear their throats and Dean punched Sam too hard on the shoulder and told him that "of course he had to, since he had such a wimp for a brother". Bobby did an eyeroll that would have done credit to a teenager and they dropped the topic and prepared for the arrival of the demons.

It didn't take long to find everything they needed as Bobby had most every corner of the house littered with stuff designed to banish every evil thing he had ever met. Even the brothers were impressed and they both considered it a good thing they hadn't told him that they had worried for his safety. Dean swore that one day he would have a house just like Bobby's. Sam pointed out that he didn't intend to share a house with him "when they grew up" so unless he started regarding books as something that happened to other people he would never have everything he needed.

The light banter continued and everyone felt better for it, nothing could be that horrible when you could stay normal in the middle of it. Surely people you cared about couldn't die if you spent the last hour together on earth teasing each other?


	21. That you'll wake one day

**That you'll wake one day…**

It wasn't completely surprising that the two cars drove all the way up to the house. After all, they didn't really know what they were up against since they had mostly dealt with unsuspecting, frail humans. The fact that these people had used a banishing ritual and holy water in their first attack was worrying indeed, but now they were expecting this. Mary was first out of the car and immediately called out her challenge towards the house, where she thought they were waiting:

"Send out my sister or die. You have 10 seconds."

She sounded very serious. Dean would have laughed at the movie-like choice of words and stance if she hadn't infused them with lethal seriousness. Mary had come prepared to kill.

Silence was the only answer she got but Jennie bowed her head where she lay in hiding behind the house, asking the Lord not to let Mary hurt anyone. She was reasonably sure she wouldn't stand a chance alone, not with these guys, but, with demons backing her, they might capture one of the hunters and let her finish him off. That would possibly be the end of her soul. Demons! But if God and angels existed, which she believed with all her being, then she also had to admit there was a counter force. She shook herself slightly to check she wasn't dreaming. She wished she was.

The demons didn't, as opposed to Mary, use all their attention for the house, they were checking around outside and looking at all the junk cars that were piled on each other. Then they slowly, lazily, spread out in a fan to check behind the piles and listen. As one of the women closed in on the truck where Sam was hiding, Bobby suddenly appeared in one of the downstairs windows with a rifle in his hand.

"That's enough. We know who and what you are and you're not welcome here. Release Mary and you may leave unharmed."

The demons stopped and focused on Bobby. None of them looked worried and they watched the rifle with amusement. Denver went up to Mary and put his arms around her, supportive-like, while flashing malicious black eyes at Bobby.

"Your pathetic attempt at dividing us is for naught. I am here for my sister, and you can't stop us" Mary said, raising her chin defiantly.

"Was I talking to you, girl?" Bobby asked rudely. "This is your last warning, hell-spawn. Will you leave on your own or shall we throw you out the door?"

"I don't know what you're talking of" Charlotte said, her voice high and a bit shaky. "You ambushed us when we were having a drive and kidnapped our friend. We demand that you release her immediately!"

She was standing just beneath Sam's hiding place and he worked hard not to groan. That demon was one devious actress. She sounded seriously shaken and it was only because Sam was listening for it that he heard the contained amusement in her voice. He didn't dare to look up just yet and he wondered where the others were. There should be three demons and Mary and they had to be careful not to get her in the crossfire.

Bobby was thinking the same thing as Sam because while the demon had his arms wrapped around Mary he couldn't very well blast him with the shotgun. Well, they had better get the battle underway.

"You had your chance" he called, "prepare to go down", and with that he turned the rifle on the one closest to Dean and fired. And missed, because Hannah moved faster. Sam jumped up at the same time and both female demons went for him while Denver quickly dragged Mary behind a beat up van. Bobby didn't waste his breath cursing and jumped out the window while reloading.


	22. In your own world

**In your own world…**

The demons managed to get off the first hit and it was Dean who was the unlucky recipient of that particular blow. When Denver retreated behind the van he got directly in Dean's line of fire, but Mary discovered him first and charged him, destroying his aim. Before she reached him Denver did an impressive gesture, a real show off, with his hand and Dean was picked up and slammed against a pile of cars, narrowly missing a side view mirror that would have damaged his spine.

"Son of a..." he muttered, wearily recognising the solid full body pressure of a demon's will from too many such encounters. This wasn't going exactly to plan.

Then he fought hard to get a grip on the bladder for the holy water squirting button hole rose he had delightedly donned, mostly as a toy, to make Jennie laugh. The hose for it had been stretched to his wrist and been stuck to it with a rubber band. He hoped the demon would come and taunt him a bit, within squirting distance, and soon.

Actually, he counted on the demon coming over because they were bastards like that. Then he might get off his one-shot and take care of it before he came to Sam's aid. He had seen the two female demons rushing him. He considered that thought, the females ALWAYS rushed his little brother. If he would allow himself to remember this unfairness he might work it into the next battle plan. Note to self: Assume Any Female Demon Will Make Sam Her First Target. Check. He strained to hear what went on over at the others but then concentrated on the lazy steps of the male demon coming over his way. Mary walking next to him, her eyes glowing a shade too intense for a human.

"Friggin' bad company for a girl named Mary" Dean smirked, trying to hide his worry. "Demons are a girl's best friend, is that it?"

"And we have a Winchester here, alright" Denver laughed, leaning against a junk car and fixating him with a black stare. "Haven't you boys learnt your lesson yet?"

Dean finally had a hold on the toy and relaxed. He now had to count on the others to do their bit and focus on keeping these two occupied. He wondered if the demon would reveal himself as such to Mary, or if he'd continue to play the gifted human. Maybe she wouldn't care that he was a demon anymore. There was no way he intended to leave him alive and the question was whether he'd do it himself or try to get her to kill him. A glance in her direction told him the demon probably wouldn't have to work hard to convince her and he was suddenly immensely grateful no one had tried to get to Sam through him.

"I'm a slow learner" Dean answered, "but you take the cake. You should know by now that a kid with a devoted sibling won't be taken in. Wanna know why?"

"Do tell!" Denver said, putting an arm across Mary's shoulders and giving it a comforting little shake. "Please, another fairytale before you go not-so-gently into the night."

"Denver, why are we playing around with him?" Mary asked impatiently. "Let's just kill him and go get Jennie. I'm worried about her."

"She'll be fine, my dear, promise. And you WILL get to kill him, or make him do it to himself. But we should listen to what he says; it's always so much fun listening to lies. You can learn a lot about humans that way. Go on, Winchester." Denver looked at Dean, malice in his demon black eyes while he spoke.

Dean silently cursed him. Mary was eager for the kill and if Jennie hadn't spoken up on her behalf he would have considered her a creature of darkness. Or maybe not, considering her remark about being worried about her sister... But it didn't matter because they had made Jennie a promise to try to help her.

"Mary, Jennie is fine," Dean said, looking her as straight in the eye as he could from his dangling position. "She is worried about YOU. She says you have been behaving strangely, hurting people. She doesn't want you to do that, you know."

Dean examined her for any evidence that his words were having an effect but didn't see anything. The demon was having a quiet laugh on his expense as Dean gritted his teeth and tried again, with an angle that would have worked for him.

"Jennie is your younger sister and she needs you to be better than her. Stronger. The one that shows the way, uncompromising as to what is wrong and what is right. Have you been that role model, lately? Do you know the difference between right and wrong? Or are you letting someone else tell you which is which?" His voice was gentle, persisting.

There was something there, a flicker of uncertainty, and Denver hardened his grip on her, suddenly not smiling.

"I may have spoken too soon, Mary dearest. This one may be spouting lies you're not ready to hear. You grow to recognize them later but this one is clever. Just kill him."

"I thought you wanted to know why a devoted sibling is keeping you from falling into your demonic company" Dean asked and narrowed his eyes at the demon. "It's unconditional love. Nothing else. Nothing that you can offer, no power and no status, is better than that. If you've felt it, there is no turning back. You know what you want and you guys, you can't offer that."

Mary stood very still, not looking at any of them, and Dean hardly dared to breathe as he felt his life hanging in the balance, depending on one decision, being made right in front of him. Then she shook herself and opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a cry from the right.

"Mary! Don't!" Jennie came into view, her hands hanging down her sides, empty of any weapon.

"Jennie!" Mary exclaimed, taking a step towards her and making the demon lose his hold on her shoulders. "Are you ok? I was so worried!"

"I'm sorry, I had to make you come. And I was afraid they wouldn't let you if they thought there was any chance you'd sit down and talk." she said, frustration, guilt and anxiety competing for first place.

Jennie took another step towards her sister, who had frozen in place, and completely disregarded Denver. Dean wanted to shout to her to stop and take cover, but this was obviously something the sisters had to talk about. Only, did they have to do while in mortal peril? He tried to peer around the cars to see if help was on the way.

Mary was looking confused so Jennie swallowed and charged on: "They, Dean and Sam," she nodded towards Dean but didn't take her eyes away from her sister's, "thought I was a, a, a bad person, like the ones you, like.. like Denver and the others. And they brought me along and, and we sorted it and…"

"You, you PRETENDED to be kidnapped? And you left me, just left me without a word?" Mary asked, disbelief and betrayal draining the colour from her face. "And now you trust their judgement, just like that? Before mine? I have taken care of you our whole life! I have…" Mary finally succumbed to her feelings and turned smoldering eyes on Dean.

"DIE!" she ordered and pointed at him.

"NO!" Jennie screamed and threw herself at her.


	23. cause when you sleep at night

**Coz when you sleep at night... **

When Sam jumped up and became visible to the demons they both charged him. With no time to see how Bobby fared he aimed his own rifle at them and caught Charlotte squarely in the stomach. For two seconds she continued forward as if nothing had happened, but then her steps faltered and she looked down. Sam didn't wait to see what effect the rounds with rock salt would have on a demon. He just concentrated on getting onto the flatbed of the truck, where they kept their secret weapon. As he reached the handle he was attacked by Hannah who pinned him bodily to the floor, not bothering with using her will.

"Who's a naughty boy, Sammy?" she purred. "You should be on our side and not with that pathetic brother of yours. Don't you want to know your full potential? To see all you could be if he wasn't around? Join us, Sammy. Join us now."

"My brother is the only one that gets to call me Sammy" Sam panted, working hard to get a hand free and reach the handle.

But Hannah caught on and twisted him onto his stomach, holding both his hands behind his back with no apparent effort. "I think we'll just have to take you with us, Sammy, and show you what you've been missing" she smiled.

As Sam and the demon struggled to keep the upper hand, Sam using close combat techniques and the demon sheer strength, there was a cry of anguish from the ground. Both momentarily stopped their fighting while trying to figure out who had cried. But suddenly Bobby jumped on to the flatbed and reached for the handle Sam had been aiming for. And the hose of the spray gun, more recently used to exterminate bugs in the crop field nearby, blasted all of them with holy water.

"Get your hands off that boy" Bobby said calmly while watching the demon scream and steam, "or I will squash you like a bug." He wasn't inclined to fighting fair where monsters were involved, but where some human instinct in him craved that he gave a warning, his survival instincts made a compromise and allowed him to give it after the attack.

"Thanks for hosing her down" Sam said, giving the older man a quick pat on the shoulder.

"My pleasure, boy" Bobby answered and motioned for him to throw the demon onto the ground while he grabbed a hold of the hose.

When Sam heaved the still screaming demon, a cloud around its host body, onto the ground he noticed the other one down there. She was writhing weakly around a wooden stake that had penetrated her stomach and Sam recognized it as the Peruvian Palo Santo stake Bobby had shown them before.

It was a grisly scene but Sam couldn't help but smile a bit anyway; the demons had probably turned their back on the wrong hunter. Bobby was always sure to have a card up his sleeve. He probably dreamt up traps in his sleep and as far as Sam knew he didn't have any other hobby. Sam watched him admiringly while he expertly cooked the demons out of the bodies and the instant the two black clouds swirled away they heard a piercing scream from Dean's direction. They jumped off the truck and landed running, Bobby just managing to drag up the stake as they went past.


	24. They don't hear your cries

**They don't hear your cries…**

Bobby and Sam ran around the corner just in time to see Denver slam Jennie into the pile of cars next to Dean, and Mary turn around to yell something, when she saw the hunters and yelled at Denver:

"Watch out!" because Bobby was aiming his stake at the remaining demon.

Denver turned to them and made his show-off gesture again, but Dean was faster and finally used the last resource he had: the squirting button hole rose, and Denver jerked back. At the same time Sam started screaming the banishing ritual and the demon yelled out in pain and turned to Mary, who saw his black eyes and started screaming too. She retreated too quickly away from him and promptly knocked herself unconscious on an open car door.

Jennie and Dean were released from their suspension against the cars and Jennie immediately flung herself across her sister to shield her with her body. Dean didn't land on his feet but scrambled upright as quickly as he good. A demon not three feet away can really motivate you. Bobby managed to get his stake into the demon's back and while he screamed in pain and fury Dean hobbled over as quickly as he could and emptied his rose onto it while Sam held onto the legs and read Latin as quickly as he could.

"You will burn in Hell, all of you! Traitors! And you" he turned to Jennie with his black eyes burning into her wide, blue ones with all the intense of a damned soul, "you will be broken and harbouring a demon. A demon! And you'll never be free, never! We'll make her ours, know it. KNOW IT!" and Jennie screamed in terror and Dean threw himself on his face to break the eye contact he held with her and suddenly, in a great rush of wind, the demon let go of his grip on the body of Denver and disappeared, still screaming, into its own dimension.

With the demon gone Dean crawled over to Jennie and Mary, not taking the time to get upright, and cradled her in his arms while she cried over Mary's still form, whispering: "I've got you, it will be fine. Mary will be fine, shhh, don't cry". Sam got up and extended a hand to Bobby who took it without question, and they wearily looked down on the dead body.

"Any of them made it?" Sam asked, but he knew the answer before he saw Bobby's shake.


	25. In yourown world

**In your own world... **

When Mary woke up her head ached furiously and she didn't recall where she was. She looked around and found herself in a fall out shelter. It was a bit more decorated than others such she had seen, but she knew it for it what it was. Why was she in one of those? Then she noticed the door. It had bars. And outside them she saw Jennie standing.

"Jennie" she said, relief in her voice. "I was afraid I had lost you"

As she said it she frowned. Why was she afraid of that? And then the memories flooded in and she sat up.

"Ow!" she cried because the sudden movement made her head hurt worse. "Jennie, where is Denver?"

Jennie just stood there, pale and non-responding. And then the door opened and Jennie came in together with Dean, the man Denver had held up against the cars, and two other men she hadn't seen before. Mary looked to Jennie but she wouldn't meet her eyes. She looked guilty. Some more memories came back and Mary stood up, disregarding the pain, and yelled:

"Where is he? What have you done?"

"Mary, please" Jennie pleaded. "You have to understand, these abilities, they are evil. They are gifts, or curses, from the Devil. Or his side. Mary, you were almost, almost gone. These guys, they'll help us deal with them. Denver was a _demon_, Mary. Come to bring you over to the dark side."

There was a note of pleading in Jennie's voice that Mary couldn't remember hearing since she was very, very young. But she wouldn't listen, not today. She didn't want to hear what she had to say because she was freaking out because of all the strangeness around them. Why did Jennie listen to strangers when _she_ was her big sister? They tried talking to her but she threw a tantrum instead.

"Who are you calling a freak? _You_ are the freak in this family" she yelled at Jennie who had gone white as a sheet. "Did you really think I wasn't freaking out when you told me you could see ghosts? I only told you it was ok because I wanted you to _stop_ seeing them, because I wanted my sister to be normal."

Mary drew breath again when she saw that her revelation had had an impact on her sister. She was hurting and everyone around her, including her sister, would feel her pain. So she continued her ravings.

"Oh, didn't she tell you before she accepted your "help". This little girl can see _ghosts_. And it makes me sick. All my life I wanted to be special, and she was the one that got to see ghosts. You can leave, all of you, and go to hell if you like. You are not my sister anymore and when I get out of here I will never see you again. Never. You hear?"

Dean took the trembling Jennie aside and led her out while Sam and Bobby glared at Mary, deciding that she needed to stay locked up for a while longer. Until she had cooled down enough that it was possible to talk to her.

Jennie cried all evening and all night. And it didn't help much that Bobby told her that seeing ghosts was actually a good gift and he gave her a phone number to a friend of his that would help her deal with her ability. She continued crying until she felt asleep, exhausted, near dawn.


	26. Only time will tell

**Only time will tell****…**

Sam opened the door and looked in at Mary. He had been worried about this, seeing a young woman trapped behind bars, knowing he had helped put her there. Fortunately though she didn't appeal to his gentle nature or play the damsel in distress by greeting him with:

"And you can let me out or go to hell. You have killed my friends and brainwashed my sister, there is nothing I would tell you."

Sam relaxed when he realised he would be able to do this. He let her spout her evil words at him while he assessed her. When she was beginning to run out of foul words he simply asked:

"Feel better now? Well, then I want you to listen." he said, and settled down in story telling position. "These feelings and abilities you have, they are all bad, right? First you noticed how inferior everyone around you seemed. You felt better than them. And your ability to feel compassion flew out the window. Then you got angry at having to put up with people's feelings, being mindful around them. And that's when you bumped into this guy. And he seemed to understand your every feeling, feeding them, telling you that you were right in believing everyone worthless. Now, did he ever say that about your sister?

Sam had noticed that she listened, even though she pretended not to, and that's why he posed the question. Several minutes went by without her answering so Sam took it from another angle.

"Alright then. Here's my theory. If he did say something about Jennie you would have been upset. You really love your sister and wouldn't let anyone talk her down. If he had said something you would either have bitten his head off straight away or withdrawn enough for him to quickly change tack. Then he would have come with a story about how important family is, if they understand you. And he would have tried figuring out where to put the squeeze on you. How am I doing so far?"

The only thing coming from the young woman was silence. At least, that was her intention. But Sam could also feel the baited breath of her interest. She was listening. If it would make much difference in the end was unclear, but she was listening. So he continued.

"The only good thing that lingered was a sense of duty to your little sister. And though your transformation would come faster if they got you alone and vulnerable, still, Jennie could be used to put pressure on you later. If you wanted to back out. Did you know that? Denver and the others, they were planning on hurting her to keep you in line, if they needed to. I am sure you wonder how I know for certain? Well, you don't have to take my word for it because Jennie heard it as well. Just before Denver was exorcised, he thought you were still conscious and wanted to get off a parting shot, so he screamed a bit about how easy you were to fool. That they intended to break her down and lodge a demon in her body. Somebody to keep an eye on you and "help" you along the road to greater evil. An evil belonging to earth and not limited to any of the rules they have to abide by. A "demon" by choice. With abilities to match."

He hadn't actually disclosed as much but Sam felt free to add the explanation as he had, it was probably the truth anyway. And this time Sam waited until she reluctantly turned around to face him. She was still furious but also a bit pale. She still didn't say anything but she looked at him, willing him to go on, and Sam nodded.

"You can ask Jennie later if you want to. She wouldn't have told you this because she doesn't want you to feel guilty about putting her in danger. But I think you need to know exactly what kind of situation you were getting yourself into. I have a brother you know. I know what it does to him every time someone leaves a mark on me and he can't stop it."

Sam paused and looked intently at her, trying to gauge her understanding. She was human still, but humans are capable of becoming really evil without the help of anyone but themselves. He continued putting pressure where he himself knew he would have felt it:

"But you should also know that they would have had trouble with Jennie. I am not sure she knows it herself but she has got a really powerful protection around her. I can sense it. That she sees ghosts isn't part of it. And this protection kept you sane as well, because she considers your well-being an essential part of her. You were heading in the wrong direction, and you would have arrived there, believe you me. But Jennie kept your darkness at bay every day and slowed down your "progress" into the dark. She wouldn't ever have let you go."

Now their eyes met, both wary of the other but wanting to understand each other. Mary narrowed her eyes at him. Then she asked one of two questions he knew were coming:

"How do you know how I felt when my abilities started?"

"Because I am like you. And like you, my brother kept me sane."

Sam gave her a summary of his own experience with finding out what he could do, his meeting with the others from his generation, the unanswered questions they still had and the answer to her other question – where the powers were coming from. At one point Mary had to get up from the floor and use the toilet to be sick in, but she came back and wanted to know the rest.

Sam felt a ton of relief as his worries dropped from his heart when he saw her reaction to the fate of the other "special children" of his generation and where her powers came from. Of course, being a "geek" meant believing in the redemptive power of knowledge. Just tell people enough facts and they put two and two together by themselves. Then again, having a stubborn, loving sibling on your side was also, he had to admit, really helpful.


	27. If you can break the spell

**If you can break the spell...**

When Sam had told Mary most of what he knew and thought she could handle there was silence once again. Then she asked for a cup of coffee but when Sam asked her if she "could kill for it" she didn't smile, only covered her eyes. He asked her if he should send her sister down with it, but Mary said she needed to be alone so just he walked back down with a fresh pot and then left her to her thoughts. Jennie and Dean were out back in the South Dakota sunshine, talking. They didn't look as though they wanted a third person to join the party so Sam went and found Bobby instead.

Bobby was working on a car, drinking juice and sweating. He wisely kept his mouth shut until Sam started talking, letting him get the things sorted out in his head before he talked. There was a lot he needed to get off his chest and the adrenaline was also making him shaky. He had invested a lot of energy in his speech to Mary, not to mention having to talk about his own harrowing experiences. But he was quite confident it had made a difference to her.

"So you think you got through to her, hm?" Bobby mused. "What was it that made you think so?"

"It was the aura around Jennie, I think. She can feel it. She knows, in her heart, that Jennie wouldn't side with danger and that there's nothing she wouldn't do to break the hold evil has on her. Just thinking about her sister does her a world of good. Keeps her sane." Sam said slowly, staring into the distance.

Bobby looked at him and grunted something noncommittal, thankful that Sam had Dean around but not willing to put it into words. Then he asked Sam to hand him a wrench and they both put their bodies to work, doing something practical, instead of getting lost in too much thinking.

They kept Mary locked in the basement cell for another two days, and during that time she didn't demand to be let out. Jennie and Sam took it in turns to drop in and talk to her but she wasn't saying much herself. Dean and Bobby looked in on her twice but felt that their contributions were neither sought after nor welcome, so in the end they left it to the others to sort out her mind. They seemed much better at it.

The box the demons had dug up also remained locked in Bobby's storage. It had resisted all their attempts at unlocking it and Bobby was getting more and more frustrated with it. He finally came to the conlcusion that it would open when they needed it, and they left it at that for the time being.


	28. Back in your own world

**Back in your own world...**

Mary and Jennie walked out to their car, followed by the three hunters. It had indeed been an "interesting week", as Dean had put it. Jennie held the keys to the Volvo in her hand but, as a vote of confidence, she handed them to Mary. But Mary just smiled and shook her head:

"I think I can live with your driving. Don't get me wrong, you still can't do it properly but I think, with you behind the wheel, I might live."

This was Mary's vote of confidence. She would allow her little sister to make the calls for a while. Jennie nodded and her eyes twinkled, she heard everything her sister didn't say and accepted the responsibility. The brothers saw the exchange and their eyes met briefly in full understanding. Bobby inadvertently cleared his throat, feeling a little left out, until Jennie turned her loving, penetrative gaze to him, her eyes telling him she read his mind and wanted to tell him he was included. To cover his blush he gruffly asked:

"So, think you got the way now? These back roads can be pretty darn tricky even in daylight. Remember to stick to the left until the third crossing, that will take you onto asphalt and from there on the map will be helpful."

"Yeah, no worries. I may not have a very good sense of direction but I am good at remembering words. And Mary is good with a map."

Mary gave a shy, startled smile at the words of praise. Her self-confidence wasn't back to normal yet, it had taken a severe beating when she had understood how wrong she had been and all the danger she had put her sister in. She felt like a patient slowly rehabilitating. Besides, she had been looking at Sam and suddenly worried that her thoughts were plain on her face. His personality, warm compassion, obvious intelligence and soulful eyes had a disturbing effect on her. Maybe something unexpectedly good might come from this. As she met Sam's eyes her heart gave a little flutter because his also spoke of interest. Perhaps, when she had come to terms with what she now knew she had to fight, she would be ready to go dating again. She had to be back in balance before then.

But in the meantime…she used the power that owned nothing to any other realm than the female…and treated him to a slow, promising smile that would make sure he didn't forget about her until then. She watched with satisfaction as his eyes widened and it was his turn to look flushed. Then she jumped into the car. Dean and Jennie's farewell was shorter. They simply looked at each other and smiled, both knowing that they understood each other perfectly, and both hoping that they'd meet again some time. Jennie put the Volvo in gear and they left Bobby's junk yard.

All of them had learned a lot about the world, about each other but, perhaps most of all, about themselves. A little step closer to the abyss or a little step closer to heaven, which way their lives would swing was still open. All you can ever do is stay faithful to yourself and your own destiny.

**Stay with me  
Stay with me  
Stay, stay with me  
Stay, stay, stay, stay, stay  
Stay with me**

**-The End-**

**----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

_And if came all this way, THANK YOU!_


End file.
